Labour has offered apologies to antisemitism victims, says Corbyn

JEREMY CORBYN on Wednesday (27) said that the Labour party has offered its "sympathies and apologies" to victims of antisemitism.

Corbyn also said that a future Labour government would be the most "anti-racist government you have ever seen."

Reiterating that antisemitism has no place in Labour, Corbyn added: “Because that is what I’ve spent my whole life doing, fighting against racism, and I will die fighting against racism.”

“Our party did make it clear when I was elected leader, and after that, that antisemitism is unacceptable in any form in our party or our society and did indeed offer its sympathies and apologies to those who had suffered,” he said.

On Tuesday (26), Corbyn was criticised for declining opportunities to apologise for Labour's approach to dealing with antisemitism within the party.

Earlier that day, Corbyn was taken to task over his party’s handling of the crisis by Chief Rabbi Ephraim. The chief rabbi also said a majority of British Jews were “gripped by anxiety” of the prospect of a Labour government.

In an article in The Times, the chief rabbi described as "mendacious fiction" Corbyn's claim that Labour had "investigated every single case" of anti-Jewish racism.

When questioned on BBC One by Andrew Neil, Corbyn said: “He’s not right. Because he would have to produce the evidence to say that’s mendacious.”

When asked if he would “take this opportunity tonight to apologise to the British Jewish community for what’s happened”, Corbyn replied: “What I’ll say is this. I am determined that our society will be safe for people of all faiths. I don’t want anyone to be feeling insecure in our society and our government will protect every community against the abuse they receive on the streets, on the trains or any other form of life.”